Anyone Here Meditate?
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Bring more focus, clarity, improved thinking, etc. Mostly focus and clarity.
Diamond Sutra is pretty solid.
Something that's easier to grasp: Thich Nhat Hanh - "No Death, No Fear".
Something that's easier to grasp: Thich Nhat Hanh - "No Death, No Fear".
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc"]Jon Kabat-Zinn[/ame]
You can also look into hemi sync cd's if you're looking for additional learning aids to get into a meditative state. They should still be available at monroe institute. Google flame meditations... easy to learn when starting out.
You can also look into hemi sync cd's if you're looking for additional learning aids to get into a meditative state. They should still be available at monroe institute. Google flame meditations... easy to learn when starting out.
No need for a book unless you just want to read...
I was taught to sit with good posture and count my breath.
In through the nose and out through the mouth. I count that
as one as it forces me to hold attention longer.
Each time you lose count recognize it and start over at one.
It is incredibly simple but fuggin tough. You will find your mind
wondering all over the place. I notice it and return to breathing.
I do 3 sessions of 30 min a day. Started off with 1 session of 5 min.
My anxiety levels are near zero. I have better control of my mind
and emotions and have a much better level of focus.
The key for me is to be "awake" and aware during my day. I use
to be all up in my head and never enjoying what was going
on right during the moment.
I also practice mindfulness in general and pay attention to what
I am doing when doing it.
No big deal, no religious or new age dogma. Just letting
myself live in the present which is the only real thing I know.
Reading:
Full Catastrophe Living-jon Kabaat Zinn (medical guy)
8 minute meditation-Quiet your mind change your life-Victor Davich
Mindfulness in Plain English-Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (buddhist slant)
I was taught to sit with good posture and count my breath.
In through the nose and out through the mouth. I count that
as one as it forces me to hold attention longer.
Each time you lose count recognize it and start over at one.
It is incredibly simple but fuggin tough. You will find your mind
wondering all over the place. I notice it and return to breathing.
I do 3 sessions of 30 min a day. Started off with 1 session of 5 min.
My anxiety levels are near zero. I have better control of my mind
and emotions and have a much better level of focus.
The key for me is to be "awake" and aware during my day. I use
to be all up in my head and never enjoying what was going
on right during the moment.
I also practice mindfulness in general and pay attention to what
I am doing when doing it.
No big deal, no religious or new age dogma. Just letting
myself live in the present which is the only real thing I know.
Reading:
Full Catastrophe Living-jon Kabaat Zinn (medical guy)
8 minute meditation-Quiet your mind change your life-Victor Davich
Mindfulness in Plain English-Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (buddhist slant)
be careful when you read about this sort of thing, cause there are a lot of crazies who love talking about it.I recommend looking into the buddhist methods, as they've been around for thousands of years and, while I don't necessarily agree with their dogma, they're generally pretty sane.
How to Meditate - Guided Meditation Techniques - Buddhist Meditations is good to get started
"Turning the mind into an ally" by Sakyong Mipham is very good
Actually, ages ago I got meditation for dummies - it wasn't too bad.
Once you've got a decent practice going, I'd recommend going to a local zen dojo or similar, just as an occasional thing. I went a few months ago because one of my friends is into zen, and it has massively improved the quality of my meditation. It was quite an interesting experience too.
"Turning the mind into an ally" by Sakyong Mipham is very good
Actually, ages ago I got meditation for dummies - it wasn't too bad.
Once you've got a decent practice going, I'd recommend going to a local zen dojo or similar, just as an occasional thing. I went a few months ago because one of my friends is into zen, and it has massively improved the quality of my meditation. It was quite an interesting experience too.
See CNBC Interviews plus real academic research on the results of Transcendental Meditation .
Video | Center for Leadership Performance
Ray Dalio, who runs the world's largest hedge fund, and arguably the world's best fixed income investor and number 200 something (last time I read) on Forbes list of Billionaires (worth $2+Billion), claims that meditation has literally been the single biggest factor in his success in business. And he went to Harvard Business School incidentally.
When I can stop being mentally lazy I want to get into TM hardcore everyone who I know who does it says it rocks.
One of the major benefits is being able to integrate both sides of the brain to apply left and right brained thinking
...Thanks for starting this interesting thread....
See CNBC Interviews plus real academic research on the results of Transcendental Meditation .
Video | Center for Leadership Performance
Ray Dalio, who runs the world's largest hedge fund, and arguably the world's best fixed income investor and number 200 something (last time I read) on Forbes list of Billionaires (worth $2+Billion), claims that meditation has literally been the single biggest factor in his success in business. And he went to Harvard Business School incidentally.
When I can stop being mentally lazy I want to get into TM hardcore everyone who I know who does it says it rocks.
One of the major benefits is being able to integrate both sides of the brain to apply left and right brained thinking
...Thanks for starting this interesting thread....
TM looks very interesting but is it worth the cost?
I'm going through 8 minute mediation right now.
I would love to be able to meditate I think it would help with my insomnia but I just haven't had the patience for it so far. My mind always wanders and to keep it on track I find extremely tedious. Am I just not the right type for meditation or are most people like me when they start?
i have a very hard time focusing. thats why i want to start meditating. so i can create laser like focus and de clutter my mind... hopefully at least.
SilvaUltraMind System - The Largest Silva Mind Training Site on the World Wide Web - Discover a New Method to Control Your Mind by Jose Silva
yeah I'm sure this is the kind of sales page buddha would have had.
Of all the meditation techniques I've tried Zhan Zhuang has been the most powerful. Its Tai Chi standing meditation (Wu Ji posture). Complimentary to regular tai chi practice and push hands partner work is best.
I am also in the Gurdjieff Work, with its meditative techniques, but thats pretty demanding. It uses sensation in the body to center the mind, generally speaking.
I've also found Vipassana great, but I use that to compliment the Gurdjieff stuff, rather than as a practice of its own.
If want something simple, Zen Buddhist empty mind technique are great - zazen. For some quieting the mind this way is very hard though.
Hindu based mantra meditations work better for some, as it gives you a tool to quieten the mind chatter, ie the mantra. Or you can use observing the breath for the same purpose.
Using visualisations is yet another technique. Guided meditations with a soundtrack can help here.
Then there is stuff like Holosync, that is supposed to directly affect your brainwaves and create a meditative state, rewiring your brain in the same way as many years of meditation does.
There are many techniques, the above being some of the most common, you need to find whats best for you. Even prayer can be used as a meditation, like Orthodox Christian Hesychast techniques. Its unlikely the first one you try will be the right one for you. Similarly to trying to find a martial art thats right for you.
At the end of the day its about bringing yourself into the present moment. After some practice going for a walk or washing the dishes can be used as a form of meditation, once you get a grasp of the state you're aiming for.
I am also in the Gurdjieff Work, with its meditative techniques, but thats pretty demanding. It uses sensation in the body to center the mind, generally speaking.
I've also found Vipassana great, but I use that to compliment the Gurdjieff stuff, rather than as a practice of its own.
If want something simple, Zen Buddhist empty mind technique are great - zazen. For some quieting the mind this way is very hard though.
Hindu based mantra meditations work better for some, as it gives you a tool to quieten the mind chatter, ie the mantra. Or you can use observing the breath for the same purpose.
Using visualisations is yet another technique. Guided meditations with a soundtrack can help here.
Then there is stuff like Holosync, that is supposed to directly affect your brainwaves and create a meditative state, rewiring your brain in the same way as many years of meditation does.
There are many techniques, the above being some of the most common, you need to find whats best for you. Even prayer can be used as a meditation, like Orthodox Christian Hesychast techniques. Its unlikely the first one you try will be the right one for you. Similarly to trying to find a martial art thats right for you.
At the end of the day its about bringing yourself into the present moment. After some practice going for a walk or washing the dishes can be used as a form of meditation, once you get a grasp of the state you're aiming for.
